Extremadura

Extremadura is an autonomous community of Spain located in the western Iberian Peninsula, with Merida serving as its capital. Extremadura shares a border with the country of Portugal to the west, and the region is known for its very hot and dry summers. During the 16th century, many young men left the impoverished region to seek their fortunes in the New World as conquistadores; these men included Hernan Cortes, Francisco Pizarro, Gonzalo Pizarro, Juan Pizarro, Hernando Pizzaro, Hernando de Soto, Andres Tapia, Pedro de Alvarado, Pedro de Valdivia, Ines Suarez, Alonso de Sotomayor, Francisco de Orellana, Pedro Gomez Duran y Chaves, and Vasco Nunez de Balboa. In 2016, Extremadura had a population of 1,087,778 people.